18
December 1863 in 31 Queen Street, Wednesbury, West Bromwich, Staffordshire [registered in
West Bromwich, March 1864]. Birthdate confirmed by 'The Athlete'

Census Notes

According to the 1871 census,
Robert J. is the middle of five children to James and Ada living at 31
Queen Street in the Wednesbury area of West Bromwich. His father is a
plasterer.

According to the
1881 census, Robert, now a plasterer like his father, is the oldest of
four children, one of which is a new sibling, still living at 31 Queen
Street.

Bob cannot be found on the 1891 census, although his wife, Martha,
and his single daughter, can be found living with her mother, Sarah, at 39
Ovenend Street in Sandwell.

According to the 1901 census,
Robert J. is a masons plasterer, married (to Sarah), with three daughters,
Edith, Millicent and Myra. Living at 50 Brinkburn Street in Byker with his
sister, Ada, and her five children.

According to the 1911 census,
Robert James is barman, still married (again stated as Sarah) and still
with three daughters, now living at 60 Brinkburn Street.

Married

toMartha Ann Grice on 12 April 1887, at Christ Church, West Bromwich[registered in
West Bromwich, June 1887].

Died

28 October 1929
in Byker, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, aged 65 years314 days[registered in
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, December 1929], after a long illness.

Height/Weight

6' 1" 15st 3lbs [1890],
although Lamming states 6' 4", without a year.

Source

Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Who's Who [1990] & FindMyPast.co.uk/Lan-opc &
Kevin Powell

Club Career

Club(s)

Began with
Christ Church school FC and George Salter's Spring factory works team in
West Bromwich in 1878, which became the West Bromwich Strollers FC,
at first as an outfield player, before becoming a mainstay goalkeeper.
The Strollers became West Bromwich Albion FC in 1880. After 12 years, and over
four hundred games, Roberts joined Sunderland Albion FC
on 27 August 1890. He could not settle, so returned to West Bromwich Albion FC
in May 1891 for a year. He then moved onto Aston Villa FC in April
1892, making four
appearances, before hanging up his gloves in June 1893. Also
represented Birmingham FA, as well as Staffordshire FA;

Club honours

FA Cup
runners-up 1885-86, 1886-87, FA Cup winners 1887-88;

Individual honours

Football Alliance

Distinctions

None

Source

Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

A plasterer by trade. He returned to
the Newcastle-upon-Tyne area after retiring to carry on his trade. -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming
(1990). Hatton Press, p.124.During his playing days, we was landlord
at the Three Crowns Inn in West Bromwich up until August 1890, and at the
Albion Inn, in Freeth Street in Oldbury, from May 1891.

Bob Roberts - Career Statistics

Squads

Apps

Comp
Apps

Mins.

GA

GA Av.
min

Comp GA

Clean
Sheets

Cln
Sht Av.

Capt.

Disc.

6

3

3

270

5

54 min

5

0

0%

none

none

Due to the fact that
many matches rarely stuck to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time
for injuries, errors and substitutions. The minutes here
given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only
an approximation.